Grassroots football in Northamptonshire

Find a club in Northamptonshire

Browse the Northamptonshire clubs we list, filtered by age group and by whether teams are boys, girls or mixed. Where information is available you can check it before contacting the club, and anything not shown is worth asking about directly.

Your club's County FA

If you want to know which County FA handles your child's team, ask the club. A club's playing ground normally establishes its County FA headquarters, and the league a team enters can affect which affiliation it needs.

It is worth knowing because the County FA handles your club's affiliation and county competitions, and it is also part of the safeguarding escalation route in England.

Leagues

Leagues do not have to stop at a county boundary. A club near the edge of Northamptonshire may play in a competition based in a neighbouring county, and that is normal. Ask the club which league its team plays in and which ages that league runs.

Our guide to how youth football leagues work explains what a sanctioned league is and what it expects of a club.

Age groups, formats and rules

Northamptonshire clubs play under England Football rules, so the formats, ball sizes and heading rules are the England ones rather than anything county-specific.

If you are working out which age group your child is in, England groups players by school year. The England age group rules page sets out the format for each age group for the current season, including the Under 7 3v3 game and the heading rules for Under 7 to Under 11.

That guide explains the national framework. Your child's league can also have competition-specific rules, so check the current league information for anything affecting fixtures or match arrangements.

Girls' football in Northamptonshire

Northamptonshire clubs may offer girls-only teams, mixed teams or both. Mixed football is permitted in England from Under 7 to Under 18, so a girl who wants to keep playing in a mixed team can.

If you want a girls-only environment, ask how many girls' age groups a club runs rather than only whether it has a team at your daughter's age. A club with a section is offering more continuity than a club with one team. You can also see which Northamptonshire clubs list girls' teams.

Tournaments and camps in Northamptonshire

Tournaments, festivals and camps in Northamptonshire are listed alongside clubs: see what is coming up. Check the organiser-declared details before entering or booking.

New to this?

If you are just starting out, three guides cover most of what people ask.

• When can my child start playing football, if you are working out whether they are old enough.
• How to choose a grassroots football club, if you are deciding between clubs.
• Joining a club, if you have found one and want to know what the season involves.